We had the good fortune of connecting with Candie Kemp and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Candie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Being that I am my own target customer, I saw the need for certain amenities and accommodations that are necessary while traveling with my pets. Sure, there are pet friendly hotels – but largely that often means that pets are simply “tolerated” in those establishments. I envisioned a place for the many people like me who build their lives around their dogs and can travel without extra fees or worrying about having to occasionally be away.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business, Corgi Town USA, is a lifestyle brand. While we are in the midsts of building our brick-and-mortar: The Resort for Pets and Their People, we support the traveling pet owner by offering awareness of topical issues surrounding the breed and their honorary corgi “brofurs” and “sisfurs,” tips and tricks for traveling with your pet as well as showcasing independent creators that make items relevant to our furry friends. As far as I can tell, no part of being an entrepreneur is easy, save for maybe the creativity part. The biggest lessons I have learned is to always listen carefully to outside perspective but trust your own intuition, give back where you can, and BE FLEXIBLE. I want the world to know that Corgi Town USA will be a household name. Every property will have one suite called Lilo’s Lounge (named after my first corgi) and to keep an eye out for a Corgi Town USA near you in the future.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Showing my friend around Arizona for a week, I would take them to downtown Gilbert to enjoy a little small town nightlife, show them the Biltmore area of Phoenix and some of the historic homes near there, take them for a wonderful brew at Momentto Coffee in Chandler, hike one of our glorious mountains, and take them to the Phoenix Botanical Gardens to see the local flora in one beautiful area.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It’s a hard question to answer … without the amazing community of corgi enthusiasts that have my back and have shared our content and helped me in numerous ways: SuperCorgi JoJo’s mom, Josephine, the Beckmanns from Shade Out DM, and all others who have supported us in incredible ways, I would not be able to do any of this. I have to include my amazing network of friends: Victoria for recommending me for this publication and being so supportive, Cat, my incredible supporter and podcast host, and my dear friend, Marvin, for being an awesome corgi wrangler and road warrior. Of course, I’d like to dedicate to my first corgi: Lilo. If it weren’t for him, the idea never would have arrived.

Website: www.corgitownusa.com

Instagram: Corgi_town_usa

Linkedin: Corgi Town USA

Facebook: CorgiTWNUsa

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC4KMrd53mFCsFBODBM2rbyw

Other: TikTok@corgitownusa

Image Credits
Good Vibes Dogtography Kimberly Casten Hatton Photography Jennifer Hatton

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